Vacuum cleaner dolly



Oct. 24, 1939. o. A. ROSS ET AL 2,177,153

VACUUM CLEANER DOLLY Filed July 13, 1936 Patented ca. 24, 1939 PATENTOFFICE i 2,111.15: v vacuum mm pour Oscar A. Boss and Forrestshackleford.

' New York, N. Y.

Application July 13, 1936, Serial No. 90.343 11 Claims. (01. 280-01)This invention refers to dollies and more particularly to a new andnovel form of dolly for supporting portable vacuum cleaners.

.Certain portable vacuum cleaners are now.

made' to he slid on the floor or carried by a handle. when slid on thefloor, the usable length of hose is shortened as the cleaning attachmentis usually carried waist-high. Furthermore, when carried by hand, onlyone hand is available for manipulating said attachment. This inventioncomprehends furnishing a peculiar form of dolly carriage or fabricatedstructure for clampably supporting vacuum cleaner units of'the typeabove described, which combination permits freer use of a vacuumcleaning attache ment and at all times permits the use of bot hands formanipulation thereof.

The invention further comprehends furnishing suitable fixtures on saidcarriage or dolly for 20 supporting the various cleaning attachmentswhen not in use, said attachments being supported within easy reach ofthe operator.

This invention further comprehends furnishing a foldable or collapsibleform of carriage or 25 dolly for supporting portable vacuum cleanerunits which may be folded or collapsed into a comparatively small spacefor storage thereof, after said unit has been removed therefrom, saiddolly also being arranged to support said clean- 30 ing attachmentsthereon when in the folded or collapsed position. Y

The invention further comprehends novel and peculiar modes for clampablyholding vacuum cleaner units onto said dolly whereby the move- 35 mentthereof from place toplace during vacuum cleaning may be effected bypulling on the vacuum cleaner hose attached to said unit or bypullingthe electric attachment cord attached to said unit.

40 The invention further comprehends furnishing a novel form ofcollapsible dolly for clampably supporting vacuum cleaners wherein saidcarriage or dolly may 'be locked in either the open or collapsedposition. I

A Otheradvantages will be apparent as the de- -"scription of theinvention progresses and the hovel featuresthereof are pointed out inthe specification and claims.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numer- 50 als indicatecorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment ofthe invention showing a carriage or dolly in the open position, and Fig.2 is a sectional view of the same in collapsed position taken on line2-2 of '55 Fig. l, and Fig. 31s an end elevational view of m carriage orreticulated structure I comprises rodlike uprights 2, to the lower end Iof which are secured castors 4, the upper ends thereof being formed asclamping portions 5 covered with resilient sleeves or housings 6arranged to engage a vacuum cleaner unit. as I, when inserted in 5clamping relation to said clamping portions 5 as shown.

Top and bottom longitudinal or side bars or members 8 are rigidlyclamped to rods 2 by clamping members 9 surrounding said rods,

riveted to or otherwise suitably secured to each end of said side bars.

Transverse or end bars ill have hinge or clamping members rigidlysecured to each end thereof, arranged to hinge or pivot on rods 2 eachside of clamping members 9.

Hinged to one lower side bar 8, by hinge i2, is locking latch, plate orspacing member 63,

having resilient latching end It includingslocking projections i5 and i6arranged to interlock with locking projections H on side bar 3 when 1said carriage or dolly is in the open position. Locking projections 55and i6 are also arranged to interlock with the lower portion of side bar40 when said dolly is in the fully folded position as shown in Fig. 2.

Spacing member i3 supports cleaning attachment supporting member orboard or plate it having aligned or spacing members 20 secured adjacenteach end thereof, said aligning members engaging the inner side oftransverse or end rails ii) when latch it is interlocked in the openposition as shown in Fig. 1. Cleaning attachment supporting member i8supports cleaning attachment studs or holding members Iii over whichvarious cleaning attachments, as 2i, may

be placed for supporting the same when not in use.

Locking member 23 of U-shaped form is arranged to have one leg thereofmovable axially and pivotally in bracket 22 secured to end bar to, theother leg thereof being arranged to enter bracket 22 secured to side bar8. The leg operating in bracket 22 secured to side bar it] is suppliedwith a suitable enlarged portion at 5 the end thereof whereby saidlocking member cannot be entirely removed from said bracket.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 showing a modified form of carriage or dolly30, uprights or vertical members 3| have castors 4 secured to the lowerangled end 2 thereof, and resilient clamping portions 33 at the upperend thereof joined by intermediate portion 35, to which are rigidlysecured each-end of side bars or rail members 36 by rivets 31 or othersuitable engaging means. Clamping portions 33 are inwardly bent andfaced with a resilient pad or engaging member 38 arranged to clampablysupport vacuum cleaner I as shown. The clamping portions 33 includingthe upper end portion'of intermediateporm ently urge pads. 38 intoengagement with said unit End or transverse bars or rails lll are formedin two parts or halves 4| and 42, the inner ends of which are pivotallyjoined by hinges 42, and the outer ends of which. are pivotally joinedto side rails 38 and uprights Si by hinges 44. One of said hinges 43 isexterior ofsaid end bar 40 and the other is interior of the oppositesimilar bar to permit folding or collapsing of the dolly to the dottedposition shown in Fig. 4.

The hinge pins of hinges 43 are preferably formed with extensions 45passing through opening 45 in cleaning-attachment support member 41supporting stubs 19 for holding cleaning attachments, as 2i, when not inuse.

Hasp or looking member 50 is preferably pivoted on extension 45, and thefree or hook end thereof is'arranged to enter opening of bracket 52secured to side rail 36 for locking said dolly 30 in open position. Whensaid dolly is to be collapsed the free end of said latch is removed frombracket 52 and is placed adjacent the inner side of hinge 43 for lockingsaid dolly in the collapsed or folded position, when fully collapsed orfolded. As shown in Fig. 4 the dotted position shows the dolly aspartially collapsed, the vertical rails 3| engaging cleaning attachmentsup-- porting member 41 when said dolly fully collapsed.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, when carriage or' dolly l -is to be storedafter use, member i3 is raised, the latch l4 being disengaged fromlocking projection l1 and reengaged with the upper end rail ill, thelower portion of said rail being interlocked between locking projectionsI5 and I6 therebyholding cleaner attachment member I8 in folded orlocked position. Dolly I is now folded to substantially the positionshown in Fig. 2, the free leg of the locking member 23 being insertedinto bracket 22 on side rail 8 in this manner locking said carriage ordolly in collapsed or folded position. I

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, when carriage or dolly 30 is to be storedafter use, the free end of hasp 50 is removed from opening 5| of bracket52. The carriage or dolly is then collapsed by pressure on exteriorpositioned endhinge 43, the end bars 40 acting as a hinge whereby theside bars 36' are moved toward each other as shown in the dottedposition, said movement being continued until vertical rails 3| engagethe sides of cleaning attachment supporting member 41, whereafter thefree end of hasp 50 is inserted between the protruding members 4| and 42thereby acting to lock said dolly in the collapsed position.

If desired, the cleaning attachment support or member 41 may be removedfrom the carriage or dolly prior to the collapsing thereof, therebypermitting the placing of the attachments on a shelf or other supportindependent of said caric'al storage of said carriage or dolly.

Whereas the clamping members or brackets 9 are shown as independentlyformed of side rails 8, said members may be formed integral with saidside bars, being formed by bending the ends of said side bars around rod2.

Likewise end or transverse bars lll may have the ends thereof formed tosurround rods 2 in the same manner as the ends of said modified side2,177,158 tion, 85 form a resilient unit arranged to reailibars I,however arranged to pivot on said rods 2,

the end bars ll being positioned in a plane above or below said sidebars 8.

The vacuum cleaner unit I may be additionally or independently clampablysupported on the devices i or 30 by the means of strap members 53 and54, one end of which is secured at preferably the mid portion'of upperside rails 8 or 38 g and the free ends of which terminate in a buckle orothersuitable attachment 5!.

The apparatus above shown and described shouldbe construed as typicaland not as limiting the invention, the scope of which is defined in theappended claims.

Whatwe claim is:

'1. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, a plurality of rigid bodymembers on said carriage, means pivotally connecting said body membersin spaced relation for movement between open and closed positions ofsaid carriage, resilient portions on said body 2. In combination, acarriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unit and a plurality ofporting said carriage on afloor for transporting said cleaner unit toselected portions thereof.

3. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, a pair of rigid side frames onsaid carriage, means pivotally connecting said frames together in spacedparallel relation for movement between open and folded positions of saidcarriage, means on said carriage including resilient clamping portionsfor quick detachably supporting said cleaner unit on said carriage, anattachment-support member hinged to said carriage movable between openand folded positions including a plurality of spaced devices forpositioning each of said attachments at predetermined locations on saidsupporting member when in the open position, and means movablysupporting said carriage on a floor for transporting said cleaner unitto selected portions thereof.

4. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, rigid side frames on saidcarriage, means connecting said frames together for movement betweenopen and folded positions of said carriage, an attachment support memberon said carriage supported by but movable relatively thereto including aplurality of spaced supports for positioning each of said attachments atpredetermined spaced locations on said supporting member, means on saidcarriage for.

clampably supporting said cleaner unit thereon,

and means for movably supportingsaid carriage on a floor fortransporting said cleaner unit to selected portions thereof.

5. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, means on said carriage forclampably supporting said cleaner unit thereon, an attachment supportingmember on said carriage supported by but movable relatively theretoincluding a plurality of spaced supports for positioning each of saidattachments at predetermined spaced locations on said supporting member,and means for rollably supporting said carriage on a floor for conveyingsaid cleaner unit to selected portions thereof.

6. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, a pair of rigid body portions onsaid carriage, means pivotally connecting said body portions formovement between open and folded positions of said carriage, a clampingextension on one body portion for clampably engaging one side of saidcleaner unit and another clamping extension on the other body member forclampably engaging the opposite side of said unit, said clampingextensions being movable between open and folded positionssimultaneously with movement of said body portions between open andfolded positions, and means for rollably supporting said carriage on afloor for conveying said cleaner unit to selected portions thereon.

7. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, a pair of rigid side mem-- berson said carriage, means pivotally connecting said members in spacedparallel relation for movement between open and folded positions of saidstructure, a pair of clamping extensions positionedat spaced portions ofone of said side members for clampably engaging one side of said cleanerunit and another pair of clamping extensions positioned at similarlyspaced portions on the other side member for clampably engaging theopposite side of said unit, the clamping extensions of one side memberbeing movable between open and folded positions with respect, to theclamping extensions of the other side member simultaneously withmovement of said side members between open and folded positions, meansfor locking said side members in the folded position thereof, and meansfor rollably supporting said structure on a floor for conveying saidcleaner unit to selected portions thereof.

8. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of MattachmentS thereon, a pair of body members on'saidcarriage, means pivotally connecting said members in spaced relation formovement relatively between open and folded positions, a plurality ofclamping portions extending outwardly from each said body members forclampably supporting said cleaner unit therebetween, the

- clamping portions of one body member being movable between open andfolded positions with respect to the clamping portions of the other bodymember upon moving said body member between open and folded positionswhereby said cleaner unit may be supported therebetween solely uponmovement of said body members to said open position, means on saidcarriage for supporting said attachments thereon, and means Y forrollably supporting said carriage on a floor for transporting saidcleaner unit to selected portion thereof.

9. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, a pair of body members on saidcarriage, means pivotally connecting said members for relative movementbetween open and folded positions of said carriage, a plurality ofclamping portions extending outwardly from each of said body members forclampably supporting said cleaner unit therebetween, the clampingportions of one body member being movable between open and closedpositions with respect to the clamping portions of the other body memberupon moving said body members between open and folded positions wherebysaid cleaner unit may be supported therebetween solely upon movement ofsaid body members to the open position, means foldably supported by saidcarriage movable between open and folded positions for supporting saidattachmens when positioned in the open position thereof, and means forrollably supporting said carriage on a floor for conveying said cleanerunit to selected por tions thereof;

10. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner unitand a plurality of attachments thereon, a pair of body members on saidcarriage, means pivotally connecting said members for relative movementbetween open and folded positions of said carriage, a plurality ofclamping portions including resilient facings extending outwardly fromeach of said body members for clampably supporting said cleaner unittherebetween, the clamping portions of one body member being movablebetween open and folded positions with respect to the clamping portionsof the other body member upon moving said body members between said openand folded positions, means including a member supported by saidcarriage and movable relatively to said body members upon movementthereof between said open and folded positions for supporting saidattachments thereon, and means for rollably supporting said carriage ona floor for conveying said cleaner unit to selected portions thereon.

11. In combination, a carriage adapted to receive a vacuum cleanerunitand a. plurality of attachments thereon, a pair of body members on saidcarriage, means pivotally connecting said body members for relativemovement between open and folded positions of said carriage, a pluralityof clamping portions extending from said body members for clampablysupporting said cleaner unit therebetween, an attachment supportingmember pivoted to said carriage and movable relatively to both of saidbody members upon movement thereof between said open and foldedpositions, supports on said supporting member for independentlysupporting each of said attachments thereon, and means for rollablysupporting said carriage on a floor for conveying said cleaner unit toselected portions thereon.

OSCAR A. ROSS. FORREST SHACKLEFORD.

